Detroit Names Street After Aretha Franklin! (Video)

The Motor City has honored their hometown lady, The Queen Of Soul, Aretha Franklin by naming a street after her.

A section of Madison Street, between Brush and Witherell, was named Aretha Franklin Way on Thursday. The area is at the heart of a performing arts district that includes the Detroit Opera House…..not in the hood where every Martin Luther King or MLK seems to be.

Aretha told the people gathered to celebrate this honor with her at the Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts that she knew she would “get weepy” by the honor.

Franklin, the first female artist to be inducted into The Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame, thanked Detroit City Council for the honor, which she called magnificent. She went on to recall her youthful days skating at the Arcadia Ballroom and singing at the Flame Show Bar. Although Aretha was born in Memphis Tennessee she calls Detroit home.

The street-naming launched four days of events for the inaugural Detroit Music Weekend, designed to showcase the city’s artists.

And major props to Aretha for her big weight loss…..looking gorgeous queen!